


The Breeze

by frotesque



Category: Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Fem!Wally, Gen, Genderbending
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-22 06:32:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,815
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13161249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frotesque/pseuds/frotesque
Summary: As a superhero, she knew it was foolish of her to love her friends like she did. But she had decided a long time ago that it was worth it. Chapter 2: Hunger (is not a) Game [A spin-off series dedicated to our favorite trio of sidekicks/best friends! All one-shots are part of the Heroine canon]





	1. How to Cease Like a Pro

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THERE IS NOW ART FOR THIS STORY!!!! HUGE THANKS TO GhostlyRed!!!
> 
> Check it out: https://1captainjordan4.deviantart.com/art/FANART-723012875?ga_submit_new=10%3A1514749449

Her first coherent thought was that she was cold. Freezing. Her second was that she could stop, and that was a relief. So stop she did, kicking up snow as she did so. She realized belatedly that this was a bad idea, because she was _naked_ , apparently.

It took no time for her to begin shivering violently. Luckily, it was only a moment later that Dick appeared at her side with two blankets and a jacket. Roy was only a step behind him, offering her thick winter pants and a thermal shirt.

If her teeth weren’t chattering so badly she’d have made some joke about guys usually buying her dinner before getting to see her naked. Instead, she silently pulled on the clothes before taking the blankets and wrapping them around herself.

Dick peeled off his mask, and that’s the moment Wallis knew that something bad must’ve happened.

Suddenly, she found herself barely able to breathe with the way Dick and Roy were hugging her. Still, the contact was warming her up a lot quicker than the clothing and it was so rare for them to do this sort of thing, so she figured she might as well enjoy it.

They pulled away suddenly, and Wallis was standing face to face with her uncle. He had pulled his cowl down, and he was crying, _crying_ at the sight of her. He wasted no time in pulling her into a hug as well.

Something had definitely gone wrong, but she wasn’t entirely sure what.

“I’m- I’m so happy you’re okay Wallis. I-I didn’t think I’d ever forgive my-myself.” Her uncle was holding her and sobbing and apologizing and that was the last straw for her.

“I don’t understand,” she said, pulling away. Her words had brought on the full attention of the three men before her. “I was gone for, what? Five minutes? It was an interdimensional vortex or something. Regular Tuesday night for speedsters.”

Now everyone was just staring at her, faces showing shock and maybe a little pity. Batman, who had been watching the interaction from a respectful distance, stepped forward.

“You were gone for ten months. Fourty-two weeks.”

She must’ve sat down. That was the only explanation for her sudden change in perspective. Barry crouched down beside her, brows furrowed in concern. “Walls?” He was right next to her, but she could barely hear him over the roar in her ears.

“Ten months?” She whispered, as if saying it too loudly might make it true.

Their gazes all turned from concern to sympathy, and _that_ was awful.

“It’s gonna be okay Walls,” Barry insisted, pulling her in for another hug.

She didn’t believe him, but she returned the hug anyway.

* * *

 

It wasn’t that speedsters couldn’t get drunk, it was more like they had trouble _staying_ drunk. That was fine. Wallis already had a plan for that.

“So we’re solving our problems with alcohol now?” Roy had teased when she invited him to get shitfaced at her apartment.

She shook her head, her lip twitching up into a devious smirk. “Not solving them. _Ignoring_ them. Important distinction.”

Roy laughed. He loved a dark sense of humor.

Even if she hadn’t been joking, it took a lot to get (and keep) her drunk. She wouldn’t be able to afford alcoholism even if she wanted to.

Dick kept half-heartedly trying to be the voice of reason. He was still going to join them, of course, but he was very much not thrilled at the thought of Wallis using alcohol as a coping mechanism. He finally quieted when she promised him that they were doing this in celebration of her safe return; nothing more, nothing less.  

Wallis used the thought of a fun evening with her best friends to get her through that awful first week. There were nonstop meetings and debriefs and crying family and friends. Wallis West had disappeared for almost a year, which wasn’t exactly easy to undo with her civilian identity.

Batman came through, of course, and next thing she knew her life was almost put back in order. It had been such a relief that by the time Friday rolled around, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

Roy refused to let Wallis pay for a drop of the alcohol, which she was fine with. What she hadn’t anticipated was returning home after another long check-up from Dr. Mid-Nite and see her counter covered in handles of liquor and packs of beer.

Her jaw literally dropped at the sight. “Holy shit, Roy.”

The red head in question grinned at her stupidly from his place in the kitchen. “What did I tell you, Kid? I have it all covered.”

She took off her jacket and joined him in the kitchen. “This is more than I’ll ever need.” She tried to sound exasperated, but she was smiling. The boys had no concept of ‘overkill’.

“I _told_ him it was too much.” Dick said, stepping out from her bathroom. “The guy at the liquor store looked like he wanted to call the police.” He grabbed a beer. Dick was still a _little_ underage, but if he could save the world as a teenager, then he was most definitely entitled to a drink every now and again.

Roy plucked the beer from the younger man’s grip before he could open it. “Ah, ah, ah buddy. Liquor before beer, remember?”

Dick rolled his eyes. “I’m not drinking liquor.”

Wallis and Roy stared at him. Wallis had already poured three shots of whiskey, the glasses lined up in a neat row.

Dick sighed. “Ugh. Fine.”

Famous last words.

Three hours later and the trio had all piled onto Wallis’s couch, talking loudly over the movie playing on her television. 

“Oh shut up Dick,” She took another big sip of the mixed drink in her hand, “You were too busy crying to see _anything_.”

“I did so! Two freckles above your right nipple,” He swayed a little when he leaned forward for emphasis, “I’m a _detective_.”

Roy snorted, shoving his friend away when he started to tip over onto his and Wallis’s laps. “I’m with Walls. You were blubbering too hard to see anything.” He grinned. “Me? Perfectly dry eyed.”

Wallis laughed, punching his arm. “You guys are gross. And I don’t think it’s fair that you’ve gotten to see me naked and I haven’t seen either of you.”

Dick shook his head. “Nope. I’m not falling for this. You just want to get us to strip so you can share intel with Megan and Artemis.”

Wallis shrugged, grinning into her cup as she lifted it again. “Worth a shot.”

“What was it like?” Roy asked suddenly. Wallis raised her brows. “Wherever you went?” Dick gave him a look, but Wallis seemed unperturbed as she thought.

“It was… I guess it was like a tunnel. Made entirely of light. I remember looking down and thinking ‘I’m running on nothing’. And it didn’t feel like solid ground either. Honestly, I may have been floating in one spot, moving my legs like I could run. That’s all I could think to do.”

Dick seemed fascinated. “You couldn’t tell if you were moving?”

She shook her head. “No. That was one of the scarier parts. I couldn’t tell if I was running, or how fast I was going.” She fell quiet for a moment, staring at the cup in her hands. “I thought it had finally happened. My powers finally killed me.”

Dick and Roy shared a look of confusion.

“What do you mean? Your powers were… Killing you?” Roy’s question made her wince.

“Right, I never told you guys this.”

Dick blinked at her. “Never told us _what_?”

She shrugged. “I quit the team because my powers were killing me. Sapping my lifeforce. Whatever.” She took a long sip. “I’d been getting a lot faster, which was great, then feeling absolutely terrible after. One day I went the fastest I had ever gone, then I just… I got home and passed out. I felt weak for days after that. I had to quit because if I didn’t…” She shrugged again.

Roy put a hand on her shoulder. Dick shook his head. “I can’t believe… Why didn’t you tell us?”

She looked over at him. “I don’t know. I guess I thought that if I made it seem like I had just decided to stop that maybe I’d feel like I was in control. It kind of worked. I mean, I _did_ want to go to school.”

“So why did you come back to stop The Reach?” Roy asked, getting his younger friends’ attention.

Wallis grinned. “As if I’m going to miss the end of the world?” Her expression grew more somber. “They needed me. Barry was so unsure about letting me come but I insisted. I mean, I could’ve ended up dead anyway. And then my death wouldn’t have been worth it.”

They sat in silence for a moment, processing that.

“What about now,” Dick asked, “Is your speed still hurting you?”

Wallis did nothing for a moment, which was an oddity in itself. Then she sighed. “I haven’t tried.” She looked down in shame. “I’m scared. I feel like I was just given a second chance and I’m not sure if I’m willing to risk it.”

“Wallis,” Roy’s voice had a conviction that startled her, making her look over at him, “Running is who you _are_.”

“Roy, it was _killing_ her.” Dick ground out.

Wallis rose, moving away from the impending argument. The boys looked at each other, then watched her walk into the kitchen. She picked up the handle of whiskey and lifted to her lips, taking the largest sips she could handle.

She felt someone snatch the bottle from her hands. Dick slammed it onto the counter. “Wallis! That’s not going to help you!” He continued speaking, but she couldn’t concentrate on the words. Her chest was on fire and she felt the warm fuzziness of the alcohol begin to take effect.

She couldn’t help it, she began to laugh. She laughed harder and harder until she was sitting on the floor, tears in her eyes. Apparently, her new coping methods included sitting on the ground when things got to be too much. She didn’t know when Roy had walked over to join them in the kitchen, but when she calmed down, she saw that Roy and Dick were crouched next to her, watching with concern and confusion on their faces.

“I’m gonna run again if it fucking kills me,” She said, still giggling, “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

* * *

 

Barry woke her up around 3 am.

She’d decided to stay at their house that evening after a late dinner caused by his league duties. The peaceful meal was a nice contrast to the night before, where she’d spent much of the evening switching between crying and laughing while Dick and Roy comforted her as best they could.

He came to her grinning as he shook her awake.

“C’mon,” he whispered, eyes alight with mischief, “We’re going for a run.”

That was interesting. She was confused, of course, but she got up anyway. She hadn’t seen this look on his face in too long; not since she was a teenager. Her hand hovered for a moment above her goggles. They were an older pair, she could tell by the scuffs. Her fingers opened, then closed, indecisive. Finally, she picked them up and stuffed them in her pocket.

Her uncle was waiting for her outside. He grinned at her when she stepped out of the house, special League-made running shoes on her feet. He was wearing his own pair, as well as his rarely used set of speedster goggles. It was kind of funny to see him in regular workout gear. They (pretty much) looked like two regular people going out for a jog. At 3 am.

“So… Are we doing this?” Wallis bit her lip.

“Not yet,” Barry said, and in the next moment he had her cradled in his arms, “Goggles on kiddo. I’m chauffeuring.”

She laughed at that, putting on her goggles. This was something else they hadn’t done in a long time. When she was younger and slower, he’d take her for rides occasionally. It was incredible. He would move so quickly that even she had trouble seeing her surroundings as they went. She settled once her eyewear was secure, giving her uncle a thumbs up.

He nodded at her, and then they were off.

For others, riding with a speedster could be a rough trip. There was the whiplash risk, for one. That wasn’t the most common issue, however.  At such high speeds, the world blurred into blobs of color. No human brain could hope to make sense of that, leaving the passenger with a nasty headache and no little amount of nausea.

For Wallis, however, hitching a ride with her uncle was incredible. She tapped into Speed Force energy herself, changing her speed of perception. Her surroundings were thrown into clarity. She laughed, the sound getting lost in the wind. She had _missed_ this feeling. Barry glanced down at her, smiling as well.

It was over too soon. Her uncle stopped, setting her down gently. Wallis tugged her goggles off, taking in her surroundings for a moment. They were on a rocky outcrop, with the ocean directly behind them. The waves lapped against the rocks, sending a salty mist into the air. She looked back at her uncle, who simply watched her.

“That was fun,” Wallis said, wrapping her arms around herself to protect against the chill in the air, “Been a while since we did that.”

Barry hummed in agreement, looking out at the dark ocean. They’d changed timezones, but it was still nighttime here. “It has. But as much as I’ve missed that, I’ve missed having you running beside me even more.”

Wallis blinked at him. “I… Yeah. Me too.”

“I know you’re supposed to try running for Dr. Mid-Nite later,” he paused to shoot her an impish grin, “But I thought you might like this a little better for your first time back.”

Wallis laughed. “You thought right.” Her smile gave a little as reality caught up with her, “Aren’t you worried about this though? I mean, what if I get sick again?”

“Of course I’m worried,” He shrugged before placing his hands on her shoulders, “But if that’s the case, I can get you to the Watchtower in no time. And you deserve this.” He gave her that grin, the one that reminded her that Barry loved her and only wanted her happiness. He squeezed her shoulders before releasing her.

Wallis smiled at him again, bouncing on her toes a little. Her uncle always knew how to make her feel better. “Thank you, Uncle Barry.” She pulled her goggles back on, shaking any residual stiffness from her limbs.

“Just let me know if you start feeling off. We’ll stop whenever you want.” Barry pulled his goggles back down as well, and Wallis felt the air shift as he began to draw from the Speed Force.

“And don’t leave me in the dust, you jerk.” She teased. She took a deep breath, and she felt the Speed Force begin to wrap around her, per usual. Then something different. Her limbs tingled as the feeling began to flow _through_ her. She almost told Barry to hold on a moment, because that was very, very strange, but with a crack of lightning, he was gone.

Whatever. Her muscles were buzzing with energy. And she was tired of feeling scared of her own powers.

She ran.

The laugh tumbled out of her. She felt _alive_ again. Her legs burned, but held strong. The world around her slowed to a crawl, and once again clarity and silence reigned. She caught sight of Barry in the distance, and she dug in to speed up. Seconds later, she was running beside him. He grinned over at her.

“How’s it going, Kid?” He called.

She laughed again. “I feel incredible! Let’s go faster!”

Barry sent her a nod, and they picked up the speed. The world around them slowed even further. Wallis soaked it all in. She had almost forgotten what it was like to move like this. She looked over to Barry to voice her thoughts.

He wasn’t there.

She blinked, looking forward. He must’ve pulled ahead. She sped up further when she didn’t see the bright trail of lighting that followed him. Did her leave her? She glanced behind her, and almost tripped. Barry hadn’t passed her at all.

She’d passed _him_. She slowed down slightly, and he was next to her again a moment later.

“You’re booking it, kiddo! You feel okay?”

“I’m fine. Great!” She called back.

“Let’s keep going. Race you to Gotham?”

Wallis felt the burn of the Speed Force shoot through her again, hot and powerful and comforting. “It’s gonna be _real_ hard for you when you lose!” She picked up her speed, but so did Barry. It reminded her once more that he was incredibly _insanely_ fast. Then again, he’d never run this fast with her before. She leveled off with him.

They continued like that for a little while. He would speed up again, then again. She would catch up. And she was able to catch up _every time_. Something crazy was going on, but she wasn’t thinking about that. Wallis saw the road sign for Gotham ahead, and she stopped looking over at Barry. She took a deep breath and threw everything she had into this last sprint.

When she slid to a stop, she couldn’t stop herself from calling out with joy. “YOU SAW IT FIRST GOTHAM CITY! I BEAT THE FLASH IN A RACE!” She mimicked the sound of a screaming crowd, stopping at the sound of clapping.

Barry let out low whistle, still applauding her as he walked over to her side. “That was something, Kid. Either I’m getting old, or you’re a lot faster than you used to be.”

Wallis grinned. “I think you’re just old.”

Barry hummed. “Still,” He looked over her, checking for any signs she wasn’t feeling well, “And you’re okay?”

Wallis nodded. “I feel fine.” None of the pain, or headaches, or fuzziness that she had begun experiencing every time she used her powers. “I think… Maybe I’m okay.”

Barry smiled, placing a hand on her shoulder. “I’m glad.” He looked out at the city, watching the dawn begin bathing the buildings with light, “You remember that one diner we used to go to when we came here?” He raised his brows.

Wallis nodded. “As if I could forget that pie. Race?”

Barry laughed, falling easily into a running stance. “Always.”

He won, but Wallis was pretty sure nothing could ruin her good mood.

She felt whole again.

* * *

 

“This could be going better,” Roy said, letting another arrow fly. It imbedded itself in the wall behind one of the growling venom-beasts before exploding and burying the monster in rubble.

Dick was smiling. “It could be going worse.” He flipped over his foe as the mutated beast charged him. He laughed when the dull creature ran full speed into a metal pipe.

Roy huffed, reaching down to his leg holster and grabbing the throwing knife sheathed there. He threw it with expert precision, the weapon impaling Dick’s opponent in the neck. The creature choked as it died. “How many more?”

Dick flipped up into the rafters, squinting down into the mist below. Maybe if Roy hadn’t burst that steam pipe within minutes of them engaging… “Unclear. Maybe two?” A cacophony of roars pelted his eardrums, making him wince. “Maybe more?”

“I leave you guys for _five minutes_ and this is what I come back to?”

Dick grinned, recognizing the voice instantly. “Actually, you left us for ten months,” He leapt, landing in front of the new addition, “ _Plenty_ of time to get into some trouble.”

Wallis rolled her eyes at him. “You’re such a dork.” She looked past him at the foggy room. “Let’s clear this up.” Dick stepped to the side. Wallis reached out and began spinning her arms, creating a vortex that quickly began clearing the haze. Her actions revealed Roy, who was grappling with a venom-beast.

The archer began fighting with a renewed vigor, using his bow to land a solid hit to the beast’s temple. It was stunned for a moment, just long enough for him to reach back into his quiver and grab an arrow. He stabbed the creature in the eye, grinning viciously at it’s howl. “Yeah, fuck you too, buddy.” He kicked the dying beast away, standing to take in the scene.

Wallis and Dick waved at him from the other side of the room, the duo sharing cheeky grins. Between them, three more beasts growled, heads swiveling as they tried to determine the greater threat.

“Nice of you to join us, Kid.” Roy tried to sound casual, but seeing Wallis is her old Kid Flash uniform stirred something in his gut, and suddenly he felt like he could take on every venom-mutated dog in the whole universe. His voice made said beasts turn to him, and they began snarling and growling at him as they advanced on him slowly. “Did you put that thing on to help or are you going to let me get eaten?” His eyes never left the monsters in front of him.

He heard her laugh - a sound that he had _missed_ \- and in the next second all the venom-beasts were lying before him, glassy eyes staring at him lifelessly. Wallis appeared in front of him a moment later, and then her arms were around him. “Hey there Roy-Boy!” She pulled away, flexing her bicep. “Guess who’s back and better than ever?”

He couldn’t help himself, he grinned. “Better than ever, huh? Does that mean you’re all clear? Powers aren’t hurting you anymore?”

She shook her head. “Nope, Dr. Mid-Nite cleared me earlier this morning.”

“And you’re back out tonight?” Dick shook his head, though he was grinning. “Weren’t you worried about being rusty?”

Wallis shrugged. “I couldn’t help it, I missed you. Plus, I really only intended to visit you guys,” she smirked, crossing her arms over her chest, “I just heard you two screaming like a couple of little babies and thought I’d bail you out.”

“Pssh, at least we aren’t still calling ourselves _Kids_ ,” Roy put a hand on her shoulder, “Can’t stay young forever.”

She shrugged his hand off. “Oh, shut up. Besides, I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be going by Kid Flash.”

Dick raised a brow. “Oh?”

“Yep. Barry and I are working on a new suit, and I think I’m gonna surprise Bart and let him keep the digs and the name,” She threw her arms over their shoulders, pulling them close to her person. “In the meantime, I think there’s a lot of lost time to make up for.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Dick ducked under her embrace, firing a grapple to launch himself towards the roof of the warehouse, “Try and keep up, Kid Slowpoke.”

Wallis’s eyes lit up with excitement. Roy jumped away from her as static filled the air around her. “Oh, I wouldn’t worry about _that_.” The Speed Force wrapped her up in its embrace, then began to course through her. The world slowed to a crawl. Quiet. Beautiful. Wallis looked at her friends, thankful for these moments her powers allowed her to stretch. Everything that had held her back seemed so far away, and all that was left for her to do was be there for anyone and everyone who needed her. And she would be there.

In a flash.


	2. Hunger (is not a) Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The shittiest part of being a speedster was definitely the metabolism. Wallis still stumbles, but she has lots of people to makes sure she doesn't fall.

“WAIT!” Her shout was punctuated by her leaning towards the front seat of Roy’s truck “Guys, we just passed McDonald’s! Can we please stop? I’m _starving_!”

Dick chuckled, flicking her nose. “You’re always hungry.”

“Yeah, duh,” she sighed as they passed the turn-in, eyes following the golden arches wistfully, “Metabolism, remember?”

Roy snorted. “Yeah, yeah. You know, for all you’ve complained about your metabolism, I’ve never actually seen anything bad happen because of it.”

Wallis flushed red. “Well that’s because I’ve always made sure to eat enough so that nothing bad ever _does_ happen.” She pouted, falling backwards to the backseat and crossing her arms over her chest. “You guys are the worst. You’re just gonna let me starve.”

Dick rolled his eyes before turning in his seat to look at her. “Walls, we’re almost back. I’m sure Roy has something you can snack on at Ollie’s.” He looked over at Roy, who looked sheepish.

“Well… I think we might have some cereal or something. Or like, a bag of chips.” Oliver was rich, but he was still a bachelor and it showed in his pantry.

Wallis groaned. “Cereal? Chips? Seriously guys, I’m gonna _die_.”

“Aww, I won’t let you die Wallis,” Dick chirped, tossing her a calorie bar. Specially made by Batman for the speedsters. It was handy for a boost, but Wallis absolutely hated the flavor.

She caught it easily and groaned again. “You don’t carry any other snacks on you?”

“You’re the only one who eats those Kid,” Roy chimed in, “We only carry them for you.”

“Wait,” Wallis began, mouth full. She swallowed. “You guys carry these around regularly?” She gestured with the last bite of the specially designed snack.

Dick nodded. “Sure do.” He turned, flashing her a grin. “Just in case you aren’t lying about the metabolism thing.” He pulled down his shades to wink at her.

She smiled at him, “You guys actually care about me.” She giggled. “Lame.”

Roy reached over and punched Dick’s arm, earning an indignant shout from the younger boy. “Nice going, Grayson. She’s onto us.”

Wallis laughed at that, leaning forward again to plant a kiss on their cheeks. Both boys’ faces flushed red at the gesture.

“Just put on your freaking seatbelt, West.” Roy muttered.

Wallis grinned again before doing just that.

* * *

 

Wallis bit her lip, looking down at her gauntlet. Robin said it wouldn’t take him more that five minutes to find the files they need. Five minutes had come and gone, and there was still no sign of the Boy Wonder. She wished once again that Megan hadn’t been called away by her uncle for some Martian ceremony or something. She really could’ve used the reassurance of Robin’s telepathic voice right then.

She wanted to go and find him herself, but Kaldur had been pretty serious when he told her she was to remain at Artemis’s side. Normally she would’ve just ignored the order and asked for forgiveness rather than permission, but as soon as she pulled down her goggles to do just that, combatants revealed themselves by tackling the two girls.

She growled in frustration, venting it by sending her elbow into the larger mans face. Her lips curled into a cruel smile at the _crack_ of his nose breaking. More fighters began flooding the area, and she quickly became preoccupied with the fight.

She and Artemis made a decent team, providing cover almost immediately when the other needed it. Finally, the last man fell, and Wallis rested her hands on her knees as she panted. Why was she so tired? It took milliseconds for her to mentally go over her day, thinking of all the meals she had eaten. She frowned, trying to remember what she ate for her post-lunch pre-mission snack.

Nothing. She hadn’t eaten before the mission. Her gauntlets felt light too, meaning she’d also forgotten to refill her cupboards.

She groaned in frustration. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_! She knew better than to skip that! She took a few deep breaths before rising fully. Artemis was eyeing her.

“Everything okay over there, Kid Mouth? You’re usually not this quiet.” She tried to sound like she usually did when she insulted Wallis, but there was a note of genuine concern.

Wallis nodded, throwing her a cold look. “I’m fine,” she snapped, “Where the hell is Robin?” He’d have calorie bars on him.

Artemis’s concerned gaze turned steely again. “Who knows? He always disappears like this.” She reached up and activated her comm. “Anyone got eyes on Robin? Kid Flash is bitching and I’d love for this mission to be over.”

Aqualad’s voice sounded over the frequency. “Robin, do you copy?” Silence.

Wallis’s stomach growled, and she pressed a hand to her gut to silence it. “I’m going to look for him.” She pulled down her goggles and turned to run, making it all of three steps before a sharp pain in her stomach left her gasping.

Artemis was at her side immediately. “Kid Flash? What’s wrong?”

Wallis shook her head, shrugging off the hand that hand come to rest on her shoulder. “It’s nothing,” her stomach growled again, loudly, and she blushed, “I’m just hungry.”

“Just hungry?” Artemis looked skeptical. “You’re in pain like this because you’re hungry?”

“Yes. Have you never heard of starvation? Hunger pains?” As if on her, her stomach clenched again, this time so painfully she couldn’t help gasping.

“Yeah, but I just saw you eat earlier today.” Even as she spoke, Artemis helped the other girl move to the wall and sit.

“Does no one believe me when I tell them about the metabolism thing?” Wallis grumbled. She moaned in pain. “Where is Robin?” She asked again, eyelids growing heavy.

Artemis snapped a few times in front of her face to get her to open them again. “I don’t know.” She activated her comm again. “Aqualad, we need a status on Robin. Kid Flash isn’t doing so great.”

Wallis curled up into a ball, cringing as her stomach growled again. “I’m going to kick his ass.” She mumbled.

“I’m going to kick _your_ ass for letting this happen,” Artemis snapped. She reached for Wallis’s hand, letting the other girl squeeze it tightly.

Wallis appreciated the gesture, but she needed _food_. _Now_.

“KF!”

She could’ve cried in relief at the sound of her friend’s voice. As it were, she could barely manage to turn her head to look at him. The edges of her vision had grown black and fuzzy, and her stomach was still clenching painfully. “Rob,” She mumbled.

Her took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. “Hey! I need to see those eyes, KF.” He unwrapped a calorie bar and held it up to her.

She grabbed it, eating it as quickly as she could. As soon as it was gone another appeared in his grip. She finished that off too. Within minutes she could feel her strength returning. “You’re a lifesaver, Rob.”

He grinned at her, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. “Please, _please_ don’t forget to eat again, okay?” He rose, offering her a hand. She took it, rising and looking over at Artemis.

“Thanks, Artie.” She offered the other girl a small smile.

“Whatever,” Artemis waved a hand as though it was nothing. “Uh, maybe the rest of us should carry those things too. Just to be safe.”

Wallis’s smile grew. “I’d really appreciate that.”

Dick slung his arms over their shoulders. “C’mon ladies. Take-out is on me tonight.”

Wallis glanced over at him. “You sure you want to do that, Rob?” She rubbed her hands together manically.

He sighed. “I didn’t mean that as a challenge, Kid.”

“Too late,” she singsonged, already back to her usual good mood, “I’m gonna make your pockets _cry_ Boy Blunder.”

Robin made a show of looking exasperated, but even Artemis could see the affection in his gaze as he watched the speedster babble about everything she was going to order.

* * *

 

Wallis sighed heavily, refreshing the bank account statement pulled up on her phone one more time.

The numbers stayed the same.

Some months were like this. Her work with the League would interfere with her job at the CCPD, and she’d end up working less hours and therefore having smaller and smaller paychecks. The rent for her apartment took up larger chunks of her money, leaving her with very little for critical things like groceries.

If she were a normal 20-something, she’d just resign herself to skipping meals now and again or simply load up on soup and ramen, but the reality was that she needed much more than that just to sustain herself, not to mention if she went on missions as The Flash.

Worse still, she didn’t really have anyone to turn to for help. Her parents had fed her for 18 years, which was no small feat, and they even threw her some money now and again. Even so, she couldn’t bear to ask them for more. She was done being a burden on them.

Aunt Iris and Barry was even less of an option. Not only did they just get Barry back from the Speed Force, but they now had a set a of speedster twins to try and feed. Three speedsters under one roof was a _massive_ expense. Four would not be possible.

She outright refused to ask Roy or Dick for help. Roy could barely take care of himself and his daughter and Dick would most likely tell Bruce if she asked. That was the worst-case scenario in her mind. It was embarrassing enough without the whole League feeling pity for her.

They already barely took her seriously, especially since they’d known her since she was a kid. She had begged Barry to take back the suit after he had returned. She’d told him that no one respected The Flash, his _legacy_ , anymore because of her. He was adamant in his refusal, however. He promised her that she was doing a spectacular job, and that he was so proud of her, and yadda, yadda, yadda. The point was, he wanted to see his kids grow up, so he was 100% retired and not backing down from that stance.

In the end, she knew she’d just have to make do. Again.

She angrily wiped at the tears that had begun to fall. Her next Watchtower shift was starting soon, and crying wasn’t going to help anything. She scarfed down a granola bar – her last one – and turned the ring on her finger, releasing her suit. She changed in a flash, but left her cowl down so she could braid her hair properly.

When she was lazy, she’d just stuff her bright red locks into her cowl and call it a day, but that left her hair an absolute mess. She walked into the bathroom, frowning at her own reflection. Her face was red and blotchy from the crying, and her eyes were still a little watery. She was endlessly glad for the cowl’s design, knowing it would hide most of that from view.

Worse still, her cheeks were beginning to look a little hollow. Her hair had lost some of its luster, her lips were chapped, and the bags under her eyes were dark. She’d been able to get away with her slightly malnourished appearance thus far, if only barely, but eventually Roy or Dick would notice. Which was exactly why she hadn’t hung out with them in weeks.

She fixed her hair quickly, opting for her usual French braided pigtails before pulling her cowl over her head. Seeing herself in the full Flash costume made her feel a little better, admittedly. She took another steadying breath before activating the comm in her cowl.

“Flash to Watchtower, beam me up.” There was a distinct white light, and the next thing she knew she was in space.

She dashed to the cafeteria to grab some snacks before flashing to the monitor room. It took everything she had not to groan when she saw the other occupant. Batman. Just what she needed, a bonafide mother hen.

“Bats,” She greeted, moving to her own station and dropping her snacks onto the desk. She picked up an apple and bit into it, kicking her feet up to rest on the console. “How’s it hanging?” She smiled a little at her own joke.

Batman looked over at her, expression blank. “Flash.” His gaze lingered on her a little, which was concerning. She decided to play the game a little.

She shot him a winning smile. “Whatcha looking at? Did I get something on my suit?” She looked down, checking just to be sure. He stood suddenly, walking over to her. She flinched under his intense gaze. “Uhh, Bats? What’s going on?”

He didn’t respond immediately. He reached down, pinching the fabric of her uniform and pulling it slightly. The neutral expression he wore became a frown. “It’s loose.”

Wallis blinked. She’d tried shrinking her uniform in the wash, but it still wasn’t fitting her like it usually did. She hadn’t had this much trouble keeping up her weight since she first got her powers. “This uniform is kind of old. They stretch after a while. I’ve been meaning to replace it,” She answered easily.

Batman crossed his arms over his chest. “You just replaced your uniform. It got destroyed two weeks ago, remember?”

She hadn’t. And she really didn’t know what to say to that. “I don’t know, Batman. I’ve been on the run a lot lately. I must just be wearing it out a little quicker than usual.” The excuse sounded weak, even to her.

“Take off your cowl.”

“Woah, woah, woah! Keeping your mask on is like, the number one Bat Rule,” She smiled weakly, “Is this a test?”

“Wallis West. Take off your cowl. Now.” His tone left no room for arguing.

She frowned, but did so all the same. If he’d clocked the looseness of her uniform, she had not doubt in her mind that he’d notice the rest of her appearance. Still, she looked up at him as though nothing was wrong.

His frown grew darker, and he grabbed her chin. The grip was gentle, which would’ve surprised her if she didn’t know that Bruce had raised a whole horde of kids. He leaned in closer as he inspected her appearance. After what felt like minutes to her – probably only seconds in reality – he released her and took a step back.

“You’re starving.”

She winced openly at that. “I wouldn’t say _starving_.”

“What _would_ you say then? Malnourished? Underfed? Hungry?”

Yikes. He only got like this when he was _really_ pissed. This was not what she needed right now.

“Look, I know. I just,” She could feel her eyes prickling with tears, which meant this was going from bad to worse very quickly, “I’m _trying_ , alright? My paychecks have been shitty lately and It’s hard to afford the amount of food I need.”

Some of the tension in his shoulders leaked out. At least he wasn’t angry anymore. “Wallis, why haven’t you asked for help?” His voice was much gentler now. Figures. Bruce hated seeing her cry.

She blushed, looking away. “Because… Everyone else has enough to worry about.” She looked back at him. “This is my problem. And I refuse to take any money from you, so don’t try it.”

“Wallis,” He dropped to one knee and held her face in his hands, and she felt like a little kid again, “Helping you is not a burden to me. Or anyone else, for that matter.” It was rare for Bruce to act like this in costume, and seeing it always floored Wallis.

“But it is. I know you have the money, Bruce, but it’s the principle of the thing. It’s… I’m already treated like a child.”

He removed his hands and stood, stepping away from her. She was thankful for that. While she didn’t have a problem with Bruce doing that sort of thing – he’d done it plenty of times before – she really didn’t want anyone else seeing it. “We don’t mean to make you feel that way, you know. It’s… difficult at times to see you for the woman you are.” His lip twitched. “Sometimes I look at you and I see the little girl I met at Barry’s wedding.”

She blushed again. “Pigtails and band-aids and all, huh?” She gave him a watery smile.

Batman nodded. Then he returned to his seat and began typing at his console again. “I’m going to have groceries sent to your apartment,” he said, gaze never leaving the screen before him, “You may not accept my money, but I’ve never seen you turn down food.”

Wallis laughed then, pulling her cowl back over her face and returning to her previous position. “No, I wouldn’t.” She watched him work for a moment. “And Bruce?”

He glanced over.

“Thank you.”

He smirked at her, the expression gone so quickly she knew she wouldn’t have caught it if she weren’t a speedster.

“Get your feet off the console, Flash.”


End file.
